Plus TV responds to pending lawsuit

Posted by staff on April 10th, 2013 Posted in Government, Politics

PlusTV, operating out of Belmopan is being sued by Hon. John Saldivar, the Area Representative of Belmopan in Claim 175 of 2003 in the Supreme Court. The case surrounds comments expressed by one of the hosts Patrick Jason Andrews on January 10th, earlier this year in an interview with Minister Patrick Faber. In that interview, Host Andrews was asked his opinion on the pre-election Christmas Pro-Poor Program Distribution, which he gave. On Rise and Shine Wednesday morning, Director of PlusTV, Louis Wade, stated Plus TV’s position as it pertains to media in Belize.

Louis Wade – Director of PlusTV:
I want to speak on behalf of Plus TV, not as the Host of Rise and Shine, but as the co-owner of Plus TV with my wife.  And it’s very important for people to understand that Plus TV, which is eight years old, is not affiliated and has no intention of being affiliated with any political party, neither the UDP nor the PUP, not any third party.  We have absolutely no business interest, that has any shares of affiliation with Plus TV.  I want to say that their is no religious denomination that controls either directly or indirectly anything as it relates to Plus TV. And there is also no social group, or NGO that operates or has any say.  So we are in every sense of the word free media in Belize, because there are no political, nor religious, nor business entitirs, nor social entities, that have either direct or indirect strings attached to Plus TV

Wade says that despite the current lawsuit, Plus TV’s Director and Co-owner, Louis Wade made a firm commitment to his viewers and Belize to continue the unveiling of corruption within the country.

Louis Wade – Director of PlusTV:
We are committed to the fight against corruption on the country of Belize.  Plus TV is committed to fight against corruption.  However we have been doing it in a very slow way.  In other words, Plus TV has received many evidence and complaints about corruption.  And so in our fight against corruption, this is going to continue.  So it is going to increase and increase and increase, where we expose corruption.  We don’t care which political party is in power.  
Secondly, Plus TV is committed to neutrality, political neutrality.  Plus TV believes firmly that the best way we as a media house can contribute to the current media environment, and the state of our nation, is to remain committed to neutrality.  We believe fundamentally that one of the purposes of this lawsuit is to try to move Plus TV from a position of neutrality, and to move into a particular political party, either by currying favor with the UDP so that they remove the lawsuit, or that we rush to the PUP, so that the UDP is able to say “See dey.  Dem a di PUP all along.” We reject this attempt to try to put us in a political corner, and a commitment to the nation of Belize that before, during, and after this fiasco, we will continue to provide a neutrally ballanced and objective viewpoint as Plus TV

Wade says that believes that the lawsuit is an attempt to stifle freedom of speech and to muzzle independent press in Belize.

Copied from http://www.plustvbelize.com/news/5506httpwww-plustvbelize-comnews/

"People Power"

Dear Friends,

You may be aware, over the last two years I have co-hosted a daily talk show host in Belize called “Rise and Shine” on PlusTV.  Rise and Shine is now the number one talk show in Belize with full national coverage, having the largest following.  PlusTV is a conservative, Judeo-Christian media house, yet there is no other station that entertains as many varying opinions and views on the widest assortment of topics.

It is a privilege to sit with individuals from all backgrounds and from every seat of influence.  Above all, it is a blessing to be a voice for the voiceless, the poor and needy.  This is not always easy as oppressors do not like being challenged.  For example, a few months ago we were told that a powerful business man in the southern part of Belize was paying hundreds of it workers below minimum wage.  We took the information and exposed it on Rise and Shine.  It was a tense time for us, with various threats involved, but again I believe it is my responsibility to speak out against injustice and corruption.  The situation was eventually corrected and hard workers now receive fair payment for their labor. 

For the last two years, at Christmas our government takes millions of tax payers dollars and gives area representatives authority to distribute it to the poor and needy with few, if any restrictions or checks and balances.  There is no accountability to where the money goes.  I have spoken openly about the initiative and mentioned that the procedure would only facilitate corruption.  I have mentioned that we have many well trusted and established charity groups through out the nation that those funds could be channeled through.

Well, if you know anything about politics in a developing country you know that our representatives feel like no one is able to challenge them and that they are above the law.

This week we found out that a government minister is suing PlusTV, my co-host Pastor Louis Wade and myself.  This is the price we pay for speaking against injustice and corruption.  The public response has been amazing and we know this will backfire on the minister himself.  

However, we need your prayers as this minister has a reputation of being a very corrupt person.  Presently he is under investigation for mismanagement, but when you live in a country where there is no separation of the Executive, Legislative or Judiciary nothing ever comes out of those investigations.  

We ask that you please keep us in your prayers for protection over our families and for wisdom for myself and Pastor Wade as we move forward.

Much thanks,

Patrick Jason and Sara Andrews

Mommy scorpion with at least 40 babies!

Judah and I were going through a box in storage and found this mommy scorpion with at least 40 babies on her back!!! *shiver*